[pdftex] compiling 1.30.6 on openbsd-current

[gnwiii at gmail.com]

On 3/7/06, holop ferenc <fred at pentacom.sk> wrote:
> me no C guru, but couldn't this be solved using configure?

Configure on tetex and pdftex seems to be in a fragile state, so it
may be that nobody wants to touch that code.

> i mean use vsnprintf and all the "n" functions and if the
> build system does not have it use a stub function defined
> in the source?  seems like an overkill to modify the sources
> in every place like this.  also, #ifdef's are harder to debug
> and maintain (for me that is :).

Yes, some would argue it is better to use the snprintf functions
everywhere and provide replacements on systems than lack the c99
functions.

Others would argue that since a current gcc should work everywhere
pdftex will be used, there is no excuse for using a pre-c99 compiler
in 2006, and forget about the replacements.

I would argue that the guy who writes the code gets to make the
choices.  The problem is that it can take a lot of time if you write
code that people can't compile, so you end up with #ifdefs out of
self-preservation.     They
can be removed down the road when the legacy systems are gone.

> i would like to see these functions as the default compiled
> in and not a special case invoked by extra compiler parameters.

The default is a system/user configuration.  Some people have a "c99"
aliased to "gcc -std=c99".  If you don't have your compiler configured
to support c99 then autoconf configure can't do anything more than
issue a message asking you to fix the problem.

--
George N. White III <aa056 at chebucto.ns.ca>
Head of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia